BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today
welcomed the return of the DNA sample voluntarily provided by Keith Amato as
part of the investigation into the 2002 murder of Christa Worthington.

State Police returned the sample on Wednesday, following the filing of a
class action lawsuit earlier this summer on behalf of the approximately 100 men
who voluntarily provided rule-out DNA samples for the investigation.

Investigators initially promised to return or destroy samples that did not
match DNA found at the crime scene, but then refused to confirm the ultimate
disposition of the rule-out DNA samples and DNA profile information after
arresting and convicting Christopher McCowen of the crime.

The lawsuit, which seeks to prevent the State Police Crime Lab from keeping
their DNA in a secret "shadow" DNA data bank, continues on behalf of the other
men who provided rule-out DNA samples. The ACLU of Massachusetts urges the
Executive Office of Public Safety to adopt regulations to ensure that the
privacy of those who cooperate with police investigations will be
safeguarded.

"This is a victory for genetic privacy and a victory for the common good,"
said Carol Rose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.

"Disregarding the privacy of innocent people is bad public policy, because it
discourages people from cooperating in future investigations. The return of this
DNA sample is an important first step, but the State Police Crime Lab has tested
the DNA sample and has not returned the profile based on that test. The case
will proceed because the elimination of the profile is necessary for complete
relief."